Corn harvester



Dec. 3o, 1924. l 1,526,723

- C. M. RU DDUCK CORN HARVESTER Dec. 30, 1924. 1,520,723

C. M. RUDDUCK CORN HARVESTER Filed April 18, `1922 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3Q, 1924.

i -UNITED STATES p CLARENCE I/lf. RUDDUCK, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHO.

CORN HARVESTER.

Application filed April 18, 1922. Serial No. 555,089.

To all fio/tom. t may concern Be kknown that l, CLARENCE M. RUD- DUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county ofv Clark and State of Ohio,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn Harif'esters, of which the following is a specification..

My invention relates to improven'ients in machines for harvesting lndian corn or similar crops.

An object of the invention is to provide in a machine of this character a revolving cutting device. which will also act to convey the severed stalks to a suitable point of discharge.

A further object is to provide, in connection with this cutting device and conveyor, cooperating` gathering arms to assist in conveying the seve-red stalks to the point of discharge, together with means for disengaging said arms from the stalks after the stalks have been conveyed to the proper point.

A further object of the invention is to devise a machine of this character which willv be simple in construction, economical in manufacture and effective in operation.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a machine embodying the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a rear end View.

Fin'. l is a vertical section on the line 4lof Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of a portion of one of the conveyor arms and its support.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a wooden platform having its forward end formed with slots 2 to accommodate a pair of carrying wheels 3, the axle 4 of which is journaled in bearings 5 carried by the brackets 6, secured to the upper side of the platform; these bearings being adjustably secured to the brackets so that the wheels 3 may act as gage wheels to regulate the height of cut. The rear end ofthe platform is supported on a pair of' runner 'i'.

Secured to one side of the platform and diverging forwardly therefrom is a` memher 8, which, together with the forward end of the platform, forms a rearwardly converging throat to receive the stalks of corn or other growth. Mounted in a bearing 9 carried by the platform is a vertical shaft 10, and secured adjacent the lower end of this shaft is a disk 11, the periphery of which is grooved to receive a cable 12, which passes over idlers 13' and 13 and about a slieave 14 fast to the axle a. Secured to the upper surface of the disk 11 at the outer edge thereof and projecting beyond the edge is a circular cutting blade 15, which sweeps across the inner end of the throat as the disk is revolved by the forward movement of the machine and severs the stalks which enter the. throat.

Arranged on the platform and on the throat member 8 is a series of vertical angleiron supports 1G, 17, 18, 19 and 2O and secured to these supports are flat strips )l and The supports and strips are so arranged as to form a j aassageway from the supports 19 and 20 in the direction of travel of the rotating disk, this passageway diverging and terminating in a hinged gate 23 which is hinged to the post 1'? and may be fastened to the post 16 by a catch 24;. The strips are also extended forwardly as .indicated at 21 and 22a and are fastened to small. brackets 25 located respectively on the throat member 8 and platform so as to guide the stalks as they pass into the threat.

rlhe shaft 10 is journaled in a sleeve 26 which is secured in any suitable way lo the strips 22, this sleeve serving to support the shaft in a` vertical position. rihe upper end of the shaft has secured thereto a head 27 by a bolt 28, the bolt being arranged to pass through any one of a series of openings 29 in the shaft so that the head may be supported at different heights. Pivotally mounted upon this head are arms 30, four of such arms being shown in the present case equally spaced about head, the pivots for the arms being suoli as to permit the arms to swing upwardly, each arm having a small leg 30 which rests upon the head 27 to normally maintain the arm in a horizontal position. Secured to the post 2O and also to an adjustable arm 31 fastened to the post 1G is a cam-shaped track 32 lying in the path of movement of the arms 30, the high point of this track being so disposed as to raise the arms near the rear end of the passageway formed by the strips 21 and 22. The arm 81 has a series of notches 31 to engage the lower edge of an opening 16 in the support 16 and thus enable the height of the arm to be adjusted to correspond with the adjustment of the head 27 and thus provide for adj Listing the height of the arms 30 and track 32 to adapt them to different heights of stalks.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The. machine is drawn forwardly so as to cause a row of corn stalks or other growth to enter the throat. The stalks are severed by the knife 15 and the severed stalks then carried by the rotating disk and the'arnis 30 and packed against the gate 23 from whence they may be removed by unlatching the gate. f

Havingthus described my invention, I claim: Y p

l. In a machine of the character` described, a supporting frame, a vertical shaft supported by said frame, a disk having a circular cutter on its periphery secured to said shaft together with means for rotating said disk, a head carried at the upper end of said shaft, means for attaching said head to said shaft at different points so Vthat said head may be adjusted as to height with relation to said disk, 4a series of arms pivoted to said head, said arms cooperating with said disk to convey the severed stalks to a point of discharge, an inclined track upon which said arms ride arranged to liftV the arms-from the stalks near the point of discharge, and means for adjusting the height of Vsaid track.

2. In a machine of the character described, a platform, aI member secured to one side of said platform and extending for- Wardlyat an angle thereto to form a rear- Wardly Vconverged throat, a disk mounted on said platforn'i, together with mean-s for rotatingithe same, a circular knife carried .by said disk and arranged 1to-sweep vacross the .ifearend of said throat, gui-des forming a passageway in thegene-ral --direction of the rota-tion of said disk. an axially arranged Yvertical shaft carried by said disk and revolv.`V

ing therewith, arins pivotally connected with said shaft above said disk and cooperating with said disk to convey the severed stalks through said passageway, and an inclined track upon which said arnis ride to raise the arms from said stalks near the end ot' said passage. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April, 1922.

,Y CLARENCE RUDDUCK.V 

